


Wolfgang's Story

by Reader88



Series: The Utopian Knights [13]
Category: School of Rock (2003)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-16
Updated: 2014-07-23
Packaged: 2018-02-09 03:26:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1967235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reader88/pseuds/Reader88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wolfgang Nakamura is a Japanese-American boy growing up in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He's a piano prodigy and has dreams of becoming a concert pianist. His life is changed forever when his father dies and his foster mother moves them to Chicago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I imagine Wolfgang Nakamura looking like Sean Michael Afable. He's an American actor who played Dylan Chiu in the movie "Akeelah and the Bee".

Wolfgang Ludwig Nakamura was born on February 20th, 1975 to parents Hariken and Sachiko Nakamura.

Both of his parents were from Japan. Hariken is Japanese for _hurricane_ and Sachiko is Japanese for _happiness_. Hariken Nakamura was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. His father was a successful professor at the University of Tokyo who had received his Doctor of Medicine from Oxford University. Hariken decided to leave Japan to study abroad like his father. He settled in New York where he got his MBA (Master of Business Administration) at Columbia University. Sachiko, or Saachi for short, was born and raised in Kyoto, Japan. Her father worked at the Kyoto National Museum as a historian and her mother worked at the Kyoto Botanical Garden as a botanist. Saachi loved music and learned how to play the piano, the clarinet, and the violin but the violin was her favorite instrument. She decided to study music in the United States and attended the Manhattan School of Music.

Hariken and Saachi met at a wedding and a few years later, after they graduated from Columbia and MSM, decided to have one of their own. They lived in a small apartment in Chinatown while searching for jobs to suit their skills. After working as an intern, Hariken was able to get a full-time job at the New York Stock Exchange and Saachi was able to get a spot with the New York Philharmonic as a violinist. Now successful they moved into an apartment on West 81st Street in the Upper West Side of Manhattan that had a great view of Central Park. The Upper West Side has a reputation of being home to New York City's cultural, intellectual, and artistic workers while the Upper East Side is traditionally perceived to be home to commercial and business workers. Since Saachi was a musician Hariken decided to move to the Upper West Side so that she would be closer to other musicians.

They then hired an African-American maid named Vivian Jackson to be their housekeeper. When Wolfgang was born Viv also became his nanny. Saachi named Wolfgang after her two favorite composers, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. Unfortunately, Saachi passed away from heart failure when Wolfgang was only six-months-old. Hariken was devastated by her loss and, after her funeral, was never the same. He packed away his wife's violin and clarinet. He locked himself in his office every night and buried himself under mountains of paperwork. Hariken kept himself aloof from his son so Viv was left with the task of raising Wolfgang.

When Wolfgang was only two years old when Viv heard him playing "Mary Had A Little Lamb" on the piano. Wolfgang must have heard Viv playing on the piano and was trying to mimic what she was doing. Viv then decided to start teaching Wolfgang how to play the piano. By the time Wolfgang was four Viv convinced Hariken to let Wolfgang take formal music lessons. Hariken decided to let Wolfgang take lessons and Wolfgang started his piano lessons under the tutelage of Miss Marcy, a retired music professor of the Manhattan School of Music who had also taught his mother.

Wolfgang listened to the great works of Mozart, Beethoven, Sebastian Bach, Peter Tchaikovsky, Edvard Greig, and many more on old records his mother had collected. Wolfgang soon fell in love with classical music and dreamed of becoming a professional concert pianist.


	2. Chapter 2

Wolfgang's prodigious music skills grew everyday. Miss Marcy said he was as talented as his namesake, Mozart. But there was more to Wolfgang's life than just music. Wolfgang was dropped off on his first day of kindergarten in September 1980. Naturally he didn't want to leave Viv but he was told that his teacher would take good care of him.

Since Wolfgang was enrolled at Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, a private school, he had to wear a school uniform. It was comprised of a white shirt, a blue jacket, black pants, black socks and black patent leather penny loafers. Wolfgang was dropped at school after his father drove them over in his 1979 Bentley T2 Sedan. Plenty of kids' parents dropped them off in fancy cars then they sped off to work. Most likely they would park their cars at home then take the subway to work. NYC traffic was the worst so the fastest way to get anywhere was the subway.

When Wolfgang went to the kindergarten classroom he sat in an empty chair near the front and waited for the teacher to call roll. When his teacher said, "Wolfgang Ludwig Nakamura?"

Wolfgang replied, "Here."

Most of the kids laughed and one kid asked, "What kind of a name is Wolfgang?"

Their teacher told them to settle down and she explained, "Wolfgang is named after two famous composers: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven."

A girl asked, "What's a composer?"

Their teacher explained, "A composer is someone who writes music. Mozart and Beethoven wrote classical music which is still popular to this day." Then she continued the roll call.

Kindergarten is mostly play but the kids also learned basic skills, such as the alphabet, numbers, colors, and shapes. Wolfgang excelled in class but this soon caught the attention of the local bullies. Marion Madison was the biggest bully in kindergarten. If Wolfgang was given a name like Marion Madison then he might have been motivated to become a bully as well just to ensure that kids wouldn't laugh at him. Marion Madison had a crew of friends who followed him like sheep and helped him in his bullying endeavors.

"Well well, it's smarty pants Wolfie," exclaimed Marion while Wolfgang was reading a picture book on the playground.

Wolfgang replied, "My name is Wolfgang, not Wolfie."

Marion ignored him and snatched the book out of his hand, "Why do you spend all your time reading? Why don't you play baseball or soccer like the other boys?"

Wolfgang said, "I like to read. So can I have my book back?"

Marion said, "If you want it come and get it!" Soon the bullies were playing Monkey in the Middle with Wolfgang's book. When Marion got it Wolfgang tackled him and soon they were fighting and wrestling on the ground. The playground monitor broke them up and gave them a timeout.

Despite this Marion kept up his bullying endeavors and Wolfgang was his favorite victim. He beat him up almost everyday and Wolfgang came home with bruises and ripped clothes. Viv always asked him how he got his bruises but he always said he fell down or he ran into a pole. Hariken barely noticed.

When Wolfgang started the first grade the workload doubled. There was more reading, writing, and arithmetic than playtime. Wolfgang excelled in class and always got gold stars on his tests and assignments. Wolfgang loved school because he loved to learn. It was also discovered that Wolfgang had a photographic memory. But his intelligence made him a huge target for Marion and his crew. Wolfgang got into more fights and came home with more bruises.

Hariken decided to toughen his son up by signing him up for sports. Hariken signed Wolfgang up for Pee-Wee baseball, basketball, and football. But Wolfgang was a bumbling fool and a terrible liability when it came to sports. He couldn't catch, throw, hit, shoot, kick, or run very fast. He always embarrassed himself on game days. Hariken decided that since Wolfgang wasn't skilled in sports then he could become a loyal sports fan. NYC is home to the headquarters of the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, and Major League Soccer. The New York metropolitan area has the most professional sports teams in these five leagues. But despite NYC's love of sports Wolfgang never became a huge fan. He always looked bored when his father made him watch games on TV or took him to home games at Madison Square Garden. Hariken accepted the fact that his son was never going to play or watch sports.

One evening when Hariken had invited three of his friends from the New York Stock Exchange over to his house for dinner Wolfgang overheard them talking from the top of the stairs. "There's something wrong with that boy, I tell you."

One of his friends, a black man named Eric Franklin said, "So what if Wolfgang doesn't like sports? He's a much better piano player."

Hariken said, "It's not just that. The other boys at school beat him up everyday and he comes home with ripped shirts and bruises. He always tells Viv he fell down or ran into a pole. What kind of boy can't defend himself?"

A Puerto Rican man named Caesar Guavera added, "It's hard for a boy to defend himself when it's four against one. I was bullied as a child but I never told my parents, that was the problem. Your son doesn't tell you the truth about being bullied."

Hariken asked, "Why wouldn't he tell me?"

A Scottish-American named John MacTaggert said, "You've kept yourself aloof from your son ever since Sacchi died. I know it's tough losing someone you love but you've created a chasm between yourself and your son. That's understandable because he reminds you so much of your wife."

Eric said, "Children aren't like coloring books, you don't get to fill them in with your favorite colors. Let them find their own way."

Hariken asked, "And where will Wolfgang be headed for, disaster?"

Caesar said, "He's just a child give him time."

Hariken just grumbled and Viv came in and said, "I've just finished cleaning up in the kitchen. I'm going to tuck Wolfgang in now."

Hariken said, "Good, good." Wolfgang knew that was his signal to get to his bedroom.

While Viv read him some stories from "Aesop's Fables" Wolfgang asked, "Does my father hate me?"

Viv looked him in the eye and said, "No, sweetie, of course not."

Wolfgang asked, "How come he never spends any time with me?"

Viv said, "He's just busy with his work." Wolfgang knew that stories, kisses, hugs, and any affection came from Viv. In fact when he said his first word, "Mommy," he was looking at Viv when he said it. But his father rarely acknowledged him, never hugged him or kissed him, or showed any signs of affection. How does a boy earn his father's love? Wolfgang asked himself this as he drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

When Wolfgang was off from school he and his father would travel to different locations on trips and vacations. Wolfgang loved to travel even though most of their vacations were within the United States. During spring break Hariken and Wolfgang traveled to the nation's capital to attend the National Cherry Blossom Festival. It commemorates the gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo City to the city of Washington. Mayor Ozaki donated the trees in an effort to enhance the growing friendship between the United States. The Festival included giant colorful helium balloons, elaborate floats, the energy-filled Parade, marching bands from across the country and a grand spectacle of music and showmanship. The Festival was so much fun and Wolfgang loved climbing the sweet-smelling cherry trees. They also visited the historical monuments of Washington, D.C. This included the National Museum of Natural History (which rivaled the American Museum of Natural History in NYC in popularity), the National Air & Space Museum, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and of course, the White House.

Another popular destination was Martha's Vineyard, an island located near Massachusetts. Martha's Vineyard was a popular vacation spot for affluent families so every summer Hariken and Wolfgang would either fly to the Vineyard or get a ride on somebody's private yacht. There were beaches, barbecues, festivals, and lots of other fun activities. Hariken would often socialize with doctors, lawyers, professors, engineers, architects, and business executives. The American upper-class exuded power and wealth even when they were on vacation.

Among Wolfgang's favorite trips were the ones they took to Southern California. Most of the USA's Japanese-American population lived in Southern California so Hariken attempted to keep in touch with close friends. Palm trees, beautiful sunsets, warm weather, Disneyland; it was paradise! Wolfgang's father always reserved rooms at The Beverly Hills Hotel. The Beverly Hills Hotel had fancy rooms with queen-size beds, room service, a fancy restaurant, a large pool, and a spa. It became one of Wolfgang's favorite hotels. Los Angeles was the city of stars. Wolfgang loved to visit the Creative Capital of the World and listen to the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. But he also loved San Diego. The beaches, Balboa Park, Belmont, the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, SeaWorld San Diego; it was nonstop fun! Hariken had several Japanese friends living in California so they visited there every year. They would also travel to Hawaii usually via plane but they once went there via cruise ship. They usually stayed at the Honolulu Hilton. There was plenty of fun stuff to do in Hawaii including swimming in the ocean, hiking near the volcanoes, and attending luaus. Hawaii felt like a world far removed from the rest of the USA.

But the trips that stood out were the ones in Japan. When they got to Japan they first landed in Tokyo at Narita Airport. It was bright, clean, and well-organized. In the city the Japanese were constantly conducting business or being served. There were hundreds of restaurants, vendors manning food carts, bookstores, and weird vending machines. The vending machines didn't just sell snacks and drinks. Vending machines sold cigarettes and cigars, beer and liquor, coffee and tea, toothpaste and shaving cream, and even sneakers! That was too cool! The streets, stores, and even the subways were kept extremely clean and organized as opposed to the streets of New York. Wolfgang had to constantly wash his hands when he traveled through Manhattan because every New Yorker knows that the dirt, grime, and germs just accumulates.

Wolfgang was taught to greet elders in Japan with a brief bow and say their last name with  _san_ at the end. Hariken was often addressed as Nakamura- _san_. Wolfgang learned that the Japanese don't know how to express themselves honestly. They repressed their feelings and believed in speaking less, expressing less, and appearing satisfied even when they are depressed or unhappy. Wolfgang greeted his father's Japanese friends warmly. Wolfgang knew that his father didn't want his friends gossiping that he had raised a son with no manners because that meant he would "lose face." The Japanese are so suspicious of foreigners that they have even become suspicious of full-blooded Japanese citizens who have traveled to other countries and resided there for long periods of time. They look at them as Japanese who have lost their "Japanese-ness." The Japanese are also very hard on one another. They believe every Japanese citizen should strive to be excellent and work for the first-place position every day and all the time. They work overtime to be successful in conversation, business, education, family, and friendship. If a Japanese person "loses face" it means they have embarrassed and brought shame onto their name, family, friends and/or business. "Saving face" is so important to the Japanese that a Japanese person would consider committing suicide as a reasonable option to cover up, prevent, or atone for a loss of status and loss of approval from their coworkers, peers, and neighbors. They historically have even had a procedure for how suicide should be carried out properly, so as not to disturb or burden anyone else any further with their miserable life or even their death. Suicide was the reason Wolfgang's maternal grandmother had died. His maternal grandmother had messed up a flower display at the Kyoto Botanical Garden and brought shame on herself, her business, and her coworkers. To atone for her mistake she had committed suicide with a _katana_ sword. There are more than 35'000 suicides each year in Japan.

The Japanese way of life was cold and harsh. Wolfgang knew there was no way he would ever live this way. Whenever he tried to talk to the other children they ignored him like he was invisible or like he didn't exist. Most of them laughed at and ridiculed his name. Wolfgang's name was derived from two classical composers whose genius musical styles completely changed Western culture. Wolfgang's name didn't follow Japanese tradition; most Japanese names are usually derived from the seasons, weather, and elements. Wolfgang's name showed a tribute to Western dominance. Wolfgang deduced that the Japanese would never fully accept him because he was born in America. Japan had never lost a war until World War II, when the Americans dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Therefore Wolfgang would probably be seen as a traitor to the Japanese. Wolfgang was able to learn the Japanese language and writing style even though they were complicated. His intelligence soon made Wolfgang fluent in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. He also learned how to eat with chopsticks. Wolfgang didn't mind that the Japanese ignored him because he was often bullied at school. Kids accidentally sat on him at lunchtime because they claimed they didn't see him. Marion and his crew ganged up on him and beat him up in and out of school. Wolfgang spent his recesses hidden away in the library or the janitors' closet. In those places he felt safe and could read his books.

There was also a lot of beauty in Japan. Japan is a magical place, completely unique. Many foreigners go there and never want to return to their homes. Wolfgang was surprised at the number of Hispanics/Latinos, Europeans, Africans, and other non-Japanese people who decided to call Japan their home. A good number of them were university students and most international students went to the University of Tokyo. Wolfgang liked walking around the campus and getting a feel for the school. Other favorite tourist stops in Tokyo include museums, theaters for performing arts, several festivals, and exquisite restaurants. Kyoto, on the other hand, is considered one of the most preserved cities in the world. It contains 1'600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines, as well as palaces, gardens, and architecture still intact. Wolfgang visited the Kyoto Botanical Garden and the Kyoto National Museum where his maternal grandparents used to work. He marveled at the locations' beauty.

Wolfgang also loved the Japanese cuisine. He had mastered the chopsticks and sampled everything that was put on the table. Sometimes Chinese restaurants in Chinatown served a few Japanese dishes but there weren't a lot of Japanese options on the menu. Now Wolfgang knew what Japanese cuisine really tasted like: rice, noodles, fish and pickled vegetables were staples for traditional Japanese food. They included sushi, _yakitori_ grilled chicken, fried dumplings, _tonkatsu_ pork cutlet and _ramen_ noodles. But these were just the tip of the iceberg. Wolfgang and his father also visited restaurants that were run by foreigners, including Pakistani restaurants in Shin-Okubu, Indian restaurants in Shinjuku, Nigerian and Bangladeshi restaurants in Ikekuburo, and Senegalese restaurants in Ebisu. These ethnic groups all prepared food from their countries of origin but also fused together their foreign cuisine with Japanese cuisine to create new dishes.

Even though Wolfgang always looked forward to visiting Japan he had decided he didn't want to live there. The Japanese way is harsh on the Japanese. Conformity is the name of the game. If you try to be different you pay a heavy price, sometimes with your life. Wolfgang couldn't live in a country where he would be shunned, where he wasn't free to show his true emotions, where he would be punished for being born on American soil. Wolfgang decided to stick with New York City because there was no city like it in the entire world.


	4. Chapter 4

Wolfgang lived a privileged lifestyle during his years in New York City. When he had free time he walked across the street to Central Park and sat under a tree while reading a book. He would use some of his allowance to buy a hotdog from a local vendor. He always returned home before dark because only a fool stays in Central Park after dark. Wolfgang's favorite location in New York City was the New York Public Library. It was the largest repository of books and other written materials in the whole USA. Viv would take him there every few weeks to pick out new books to read. Wolfgang had a strong thirst for knowledge that was quenched through literature.

For entertainment Hariken would sometimes let his son and Viv see a Broadway show. Wolfgang's favorite show was _The Phantom of the Opera_. The Broadway theaters were magical places. For a few hours the audience was transported to a different world full of music, song, and dance. Wolfgang also enjoyed listening to the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall. Classical remained Wolfgang's favorite genre of music during his childhood years in New York. Wolfgang also attended shows at Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall. Music was the most important thing in Wolfgang's life as he continued practicing and playing the piano.

By the time Wolfgang was seven Ms. Marcy decided to transfer his lessons to a man named Dr. Frederick Fugue. Dr. Fugue was a man who had studied at Julliard School and played with the New York Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra. He was a very strict teacher and made Wolfgang practice complicated classical compositions such as "Rondò a Capriccio in G Major" by Beethoven, "Flight of the Bumblebee" by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov or  _The Nutcracker Suite_ by Tchaikovsky.

Whenever Wolfgang finished a piece Dr. Fugue would snort and say, "It appears you have some talent, Wolfgang. You might even be worthy of your name." Dr. Fugue could compliment and insult his students at the same time. However, Wolfgang was the only student he appeared to have. Wolfgang once asked him why he was the only student. Dr. Fugue explained, "I had to fire all my other students. They didn't have the dedication or passion to continue with music. I was doing them a favor since it seemed that most of them were only here because their parents forced them. I believe you should do what your heart desires. Do you love music, Wolfgang? Do you want to cultivate your talent to its highest degree?" Wolfgang nodded yes and Dr. Fugue replied, "Then we can continue our lessons."

Dr. Fugue soon signed Wolfgang up for recitals and music competitions against other music students. Wolfgang entered his first music competition under Dr. Fugue's tutelage when he was eight-years-old. He performed "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik Movt 1" by Mozart and despite making a few errors was given a thunderous applause. Wolfgang entered other competitions and was soon gaining fame and recognition in his neighborhood. Despite these successes Hariken never bothered to see his son in competitions and always said he was busy working. Viv came to all of Wolfgang's competitions and recitals and always applauded the loudest when Wolfgang finished his set piece.

Wolfgang always felt love and affection around Viv. He didn't really feel his mother's absence because Viv was always around. Wolfgang thought he knew everything about Viv. She was born in South Carolina on her mother's sofa. She had one brother and two nephews and nieces. Her exact age was unknown. Since she had grown up in the Deep South during the Jim Crow years she wasn't issued a birth certificate. Viv joked that she could lie about her age for the rest of her life and no one would find out. Then she would get serious and admit how being born without record was proof for her during her childhood of the racism that plagued America. Viv dropped out of school at the age of fourteen to work as a maid to help her parents with the bill. She soon moved up North to escape the injustice of Jim Crow and started working as a maid while she lived in Harlem.

When Wolfgang was nine Dr. Fugue entered him into a competition with several other prodigiously gifted musicians. Dr. Fugue told Wolfgang to do his best and he would be a winner. When Wolfgang got home from his lesson he told Viv. Viv got excited and told him he had to practice, practice, practice.

When Hariken overheard them he stated, "I think you're going to win the competition."

Wolfgang said, "Really, Father, do you think so?"

Hariken replied, "Of course, you're my son. I'm sure you'll win."

Wolfgang thought it over and realized that maybe this competition would finally earn him his father's love. No more being a ghost in this house. No more eating alone. No more disinterest in his music. Wolfgang would work hard and prove to his father that he was worthy of his affection.

The competition commenced around the holiday season. New York was a magical place during the winter holidays. Christmas lights decorating the stores, sidewalk Santas asking for people to donate money for charity, sales were issued in hundreds of stores. There was also the lighting of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. Wolfgang would sometimes go there to ice skate. However, around this time Wolfgang was too busy perfecting his piano set to indulge in leisure activities. Wolfgang was determined to win and even found himself praying for his victory every five seconds. Wolfgang sometimes went to Abyssinian Baptist Church on Sundays with Viv even though his father was an atheist and didn't believe in God. Wolfgang thought that if there were a God up there He would allow him to triumph.

Soon the night of the competition arrived. Wolfgang and his father dressed up in their best suits and Viv dressed up in her Sunday dress. Hariken drove them in his Bentley and they soon arrived at the competition. Wolfgang was led backstage while his father and Viv found seats in the audience. There were ten kids on the set and Wolfgang was sixth on the list.

When he got to the stage he announced into the mike, "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Wolfgang Nakamura. Tonight I'll be performing "Summertime" and "Moody," my own compositions." Wolfgang sat at the piano and played his two songs. The audience soon disappeared and he was lost in the music. He soon forgot about impressing his father and was soon feeling joyful, sad, and excited by the music. When he was done he stood up and took a bow amidst thunderous applause.

At the end of the competition the judges announced the winners. "In third place, clarinetist Fariq Patel."

"In second place, violinist Emily Jones."

"And in first place, pianist Wolfgang Nakamura."

The applause was thunderous and Wolfgang couldn't stop bowing and smiling. The number one thing that made him smile was seeing Viv applaud for him and seeing his father smiling and applauding as well, proud of him at last. After that things should have gotten better, right? Not exactly...


	5. Chapter 5

Hariken drove them home and exclaimed, "When you did it the way you did it tonight they can't _not_ give it to you!"

Wolfgang laughed and said, "Thanks, Father."

Wolfgang wore the gold medal around his neck and Viv put her arm around him and said, "Well done, Wolfgang. That was fantastic." But Viv got that look in her eyes that meant she knew something they didn't know. The help knows, the help always knows.

For the next few weeks it seemed like Wolfgang and his father had become friends. Wolfgang would watch sports with his dad and his father would listen to him when he played music on the piano. Hariken took his son to the Central Park, Coney Island, Broadway. It seemed like a circular piece of metal had somehow managed to bridge the chasm between them. Not everything is as it seems.

Soon Viv was preparing for Wolfgang's tenth birthday party. It was the big One-Oh and Viv knew that this was a special birthday because it's the birthday kids never forget...until their Sweet Sixteen. Hariken's motto on parties was simple: invite the whole world or it's not a party. When Wolfgang went through the guest list he didn't recognize half of the people on the list. He then realized they weren't really coming for him. It was his birthday but he knew who the real star of the show was.

Viv had fulfilled her duties as party arranger in mostly silence. When Hariken came to give her suggestions a few days before the party Viv was able to expose Hariken's ignorance about his own son.

Hariken asked, "What kind of cake are you ordering in from the baker's? I hope its chocolate. Wolfgang and I love chocolate!"

Viv said, "I ordered the seven-layer vanilla cake with strawberries decorated on it."

Hariken said, "Wolfgang likes vanilla?"

Viv replied, "Yep, and strawberries are his favorite fruit."

Hariken said, "Okay, what decorations are you ordering in? How about red? I love red!"

Viv stated, "Wolfgang's favorite color is blue. So the decorations are all blue."

Hariken said, "But blue is more of a color for baby showers. Are you sure Wolfgang likes blue? I thought he liked red or green."

Viv said, "No, it's blue. I'm one hundred percent sure."

Hariken said, "Okay, sorry for bothering you." Viv had been planning this party for weeks and Hariken was just starting to realize the details a few days before the party?

Wolfgang's party was an immense success. There were dozens of the people in the apartment and Wolfgang was forced to introduce himself to everyone. Hariken didn't want people gossiping that he had raised a son with no manners. Wolfgang greeted dozens of strangers, thanked them for their gifts and had his cheeks pinched countless times. His face was sore from smiling so much. Marion and his gang were also at the party. Hariken was friends with their parents so he had invited them to the party. Since Wolfgang had no friends his father invited parents who had children so that Wolfgang would have someone to play with. Wolfgang ended up hiding in his room reading his books until it was time to blow out the candles and cut the cake. After the party Viv and the other hired help were left alone to clean up the mess and Wolfgang was left alone to open his presents. Wolfgang knew he would never play with the toys or ride the new bike. He might spend the gifts of money on books but it all felt like blood money. His father would never have thrown him a party that big if he hadn't won the music competition.

The chasm between Wolfgang and Hariken was opened again. Hariken went back to locking himself in his office and Wolfgang went back to playing the piano. Viv watched with dissatisfaction while Wolfgang and Hariken kept themselves aloof from each other. It's unknown if the two would have formed a father-son bond sometime in the future.

Hariken went on a ski trip with some friends to Alaska in February. Unfortunately, there was an accident on the slopes. The ledge Hariken was on gave way and he fell down the mountain. When the Ski Patrol found him it was too late. Hariken had hit his head on a boulder and it had inevitably killed him.


	6. Chapter 6

"Does the boy have any other family?"

"No", replied Viv.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Shortly after Wolfgang's father had passed away there was a large, elaborate funeral paid for by his fellow stockbrokers. Guests kept on saying:

"Such a hard worker. I always admired him...

"Loaned me money for my restaurant, barely knew me.."

"Got me an internship at the New York Stock Exchange. I never would have made it out of inner-city Paterson without his help..."

"Can never forget such a dear friend..."

Wolfgang realized that his identity was closely tied to his father and the marks he had left on peoples' lives. Now that his father was gone Wolfgang would have to find his own way. The very thought terrified him.

Wolfgang was taken into foster care and a Japanese-American woman named Sylvia became his new foster mother. She was planning to move to Chicago so Wolfgang went with her. Since Sylvia already had a butler Viv wasn't offered a job. Viv told Wolfgang that after sending out resumes she was offered a job at the White House! Wolfgang remembered how he hugged the woman who had been his first memory. He remembered how Viv told him his first word was "Mommy," and he had been looking at Viv while he said it. The White House's address was at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue so Wolfgang would write her letters.

Another hard part was saying good-bye to New York. Wolfgang had lived in the Big Apple his entire life. He couldn't imagine life without the NYC. Chicago was also a big city but didn't have as many tourist attractions as New York. Wolfgang was told that he and Sylvia would leave for Chicago in the summer so that Wolfgang could finish the school year at Columbia Grammar.

Wolfgang and Sylvia arrived in North Side Chicago at the beginning of June. Sylvia lived in a large, spacious mansion and had a black butler named Robert Harris. Wolfgang soon settled in and adjusted to life in Chicago. Sylvia had a grand, concert piano in the living room so Wolfgang practiced his music. However, he soon discovered Sylvia had a dark secret.

One night a visiting business associate was eating dinner with Wolfgang and Sylvia. Then there was a knock on the door. Sylvia said, "Robert, could you get that?"

Robert opened the door and the Chicago Police came in. The cops said they had a warrant for Sylvia's arrest. Wolfgang was questioned at the police station but he didn't understand why Sylvia was arrested. The chief explained that Sylvia had been found guilty of embezzlement and money laundering.

The chief asked, "Do you know what those words mean?"

Wolfgang said, "Yeah. My dad was a stockbroker for the New York Stock Exchange. I know about white-collar crime. I also know Sylvia will have grey hair and dentures by the time she's out of jail."

Wolfgang then wondered who would be his new foster mother. A social worker answered his question by stating, "You'll be put in the custody of Big Mama at The Unconditional Orphanage. She loves kids so you'll be alright."

Wolfgang asked, "Where's the orphanage located?"

The social worker replied, "In South Side Chicago." She might have well have said that the orphanage was in Hell.


	7. Chapter 7

The Chicago scenery soon changed from large, elegant mansions to small, one-story houses. From children jumping rope on the sidewalk to teens selling drugs in alleys. From white-collar residents returning from their jobs at law firms, medical practices, universities, and other successful businesses to blue-collar residents returning from their shifts at the steel mills and factories. America is famous for its rags-to-riches stories. But Wolfgang went from riches to rags.

The social worker dropped him off at a huge house at 3500 Crestwood Boulevard. A large black woman met him at the door and hugged him tightly. "Hello, honey. My name is Big Mama and welcome to the family."

Wolfgang quietly said, "Hi." Big Mama took him on a small tour of the orphanage and introduced him to two other women who lived there, Kim Norris and Alicia Anderson. Wolfgang was shown his new bed in one of the boys' rooms and he just sat on the bed and read until dinner. At dinnertime Wolfgang was introduced to Nick Cannon and Ricky Rodriguez. Nick worked as a mechanic and Ricky was a janitor/handyman at the University of Chicago. Wolfgang quietly said, "Hi," and ate his dinner in silence.

Hariken always said, "There's no place for fear in a man." There's no place for fear in the ghetto either. Wolfgang's whole life changed overnight. Wolfgang's neighbors in the Upper West Side were university professors, professional musicians, stockbrokers, and business executives. In the South Side his neighbors were steel mill workers, factory workers, postal workers, waiters, gardeners, sanitation engineers (a fancy name for garbage men), janitors, and mechanics. These blue-collar residents worked long hours six days a week. They bought their food and clothes at the Salvation Army. They blew off steam at nightclubs, getting drunk and getting into brawls. These residents despised Ronald Reagan's Reaganomics as they believed that he was preying on the poor. And most of the residents of the Upper West Side were loyal Republicans. The world had people who had different points of view.

The only kid in the orphanage Wolfgang befriended was Tevin Campbell. He had moved into the orphanage last year after his parents were murdered. Tevin said the cops had dropped his parents' murder case but it was possible that the guy who had killed Tevin's parents was probably dead by now. Tevin kept his father's musical equipment downstairs in the basement, which included a Wurlitzer piano. Wolfgang was able to practice and hone his skills but Tevin said there was no way Big Mama would have enough money for lessons. Tevin became Wolfgang's new teacher.

Tevin asked Wolfgang, "What kind of music do you listen to? Who inspires you?"

Wolfgang replied, "I love Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and Tchaikovsky."

Tevin said, "Classical? Okay, that's a good start. Do you listen to other genres?"

Wolfgang said, "Ragtime and jazz."

Tevin asked, "Who are your favorite ragtime and jazz musicians?" Wolfgang said, "Scott Joplin, Fats Waller, Oscar Peterson and Thelonious Monk."

Tevin took out a vinyl record from his dad's collection. Tevin asked, "Do you listen to rock 'n' roll or R 'n' B?" When Wolfgang shook his head Tevin said, "Here's some Little Richard. He brought the boogie-woogie to Fats Waller's style of ragtime to create rock 'n' roll." Wolfgang was also introduced to Herbie Hancock, Ray Charles, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder. When Wolfgang played on the Wurlitzer, Tevin sang along. Wolfgang learned to do crazy things on the piano, like put his foot up or play with his back towards it. Tevin sang songs like "Tutti Frutti" in a strong tenor voice:

 _"Bop bopa-a-lu a whop bam boo_  
_Tutti frutti, au- rutti_  
_Tutti frutti, au-rutti_  
_Tutti frutti, au-rutti_  
_Tutti frutti, au-rutti_  
_Tutti frutti, au-rutti_  
_A whop bop-a-lu a whop bam boom_

 _Got a gal named Sue, she knows just what to do_  
_Got a gal named Sue, she knows just what to do_  
_She rock to the east, she rocks to the west_  
_But she's the gal that I know best_

 _Tutti frutti, au-rutti_  
_Tutti frutti, au-rutti_  
_Tutti frutti, au-rutti_  
_Tutti frutti, au-rutti_  
_Tutti frutti, au-rutti_  
_A whop bop-a-lu a whop bam boom"_

The hardest part was when school started. The kids in the neighborhood had their own unique styles. When Wolfgang came down wearing a dress shirt and tie Tevin asked, "What are you wearing?"

Wolfgang replied, "My school outfit."

Tevin said, "If you come to school wearing that shit the kids will beat you up."

Tevin walked Wolfgang upstairs and made him wear a bright blue shirt, a red leather J. Parks brand jacket, a Chicago Cubs baseball cap, some hip-hop rings, Puma high-top sneakers, and a sequin glove. "There, now you look perfect!" exclaimed Tevin. When Wolfgang and Tevin walked to school Wolfgang noticed kids wearing colorful shirts under their leather jackets, baseball caps, rings and bracelets, athletic sneakers, and some of the boys even had pierced ears!

At Theodore Roosevelt Elementary Wolfgang went up to his assigned classroom. When the teacher called his name on the attendance the whole class laughed.

"What kind of name is Wolfgang?"

"Your parents must have hated you!"

Wolfgang would have corrected them but there was something about the way they laughed. They seemed to be more rude and insulting than the kids at Columbia Grammar so Wolfgang stayed silent. Wolfgang was the only person who raised his hand when the teacher asked a question and he always gave the right answer. The kids kept on glaring at Wolfgang but he didn't know why. When they got back their first math test a boy next to Wolfgang grabbed it and said, "You got an A plus?! How did you do that?"

Wolfgang replied, "There's a new method called studying. Try it, it works."

The teacher said, "Anyone who got a bad grade will receive extra homework from me tonight." Wolfgang had nothing to worry about but noticed that more than half the class groaned.  _More than half the class didn't pass? That's not good,_ thought Wolfgang.

After school the school bullies beat him up while insulting him. "Well, Poindexter, you think you're so smart! I'm going to give you a lesson on how Muhammad Ali won the world heavyweight championship."

Wolfgang came home with more bruises and bloody noses than he had ever had in his life. Marion and his crew could learn a few lessons on how to really beat up a kid from the South Side bullies. Wolfgang washed his nose out at the sink and put some ice on bruises. When Nick came into the boys' room and saw Wolfgang he exclaimed, "Yo, dude, are you alright?"

Wolfgang replied, "Yes, I'm fine."

Whenever Wolfgang came home with school injuries his father always ignored him and failed to notice him. Nick immediately got a first aid kit and put Mercurochrome and gauze on some of Wolfgang's wounds. Wolfgang wasn't used to this kind of attention and only managed to say a thank you. Nick replied, "No sweat. You want to tell me who did this to you or do you dislike snitching?"

Wolfgang said, "I ran into a pole and fell down on the pavement."

Nick replied, "Okay, don't tell me. But remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

Wolfgang was surprised Nick knew that quote and asked, "How do you know that quote by Eleanor Roosevelt? I thought I you were just a mechanic."

Nick said, "Even a mechanic can love reading. I ain't stupid, Wolfgang. There's more to the South Side than meets the eye. Since you won't tell me who beat you up you need to learn how to defend yourself." After that, Nick started teaching Wolfgang how to box, kick, and punch with an old punching bag that was stored in the basement.

After that Wolfgang learned to adjust to life in the South Side. He didn't raise his hand as often as he used to, he always hid his tests when he got them back, and didn't go out for recess because he preferred reading in an old, abandoned janitor's closet in the basement. Wolfgang at first didn't understand why the kids here were so against a good education. He figured out that most of them probably didn't care about a good education because their parents couldn't afford to send them to college. Hariken had left all his money to Wolfgang in a trust fund which he stated in his will was for his son's education but Wolfgang's foster mother had stolen money from his trust fund as part of her embezzlement scheme. Wolfgang was as broke as the other kids in the South Side and most of the South Side kids had to rely on scholarships to get into college. But to earn an academic scholarship you pretty much have to get all A's. Wolfgang was a straight A student so getting an academic scholarship wouldn't be a problem for him. There were plenty of athletes in the schools but you need to pull off at least a C-average to be eligible for an athletic scholarship. Since most of the athletes could barely a read a comic book or recite their times tables it was highly unlikely that they would make it to college and on to a better life.

Wolfgang was able to find a library in the 'hood. It was located at the Matthew Harper Community Center. The librarian was a woman named Mrs. McIntosh. Wolfgang visited the library every week and signed out books that he read at home.  Wolfgang became friends with Mrs. McIntosh who was overjoyed to see a boy who loved to read. Most kids from the 'hood didn't see the point of books and even beat up kids who were caught reading for fun. Wolfgang learned that the hard way.

Another thing Wolfgang had to get used to was the dead bodies he saw while he walked to school. He saw a black teenager behind the dumpster in an alley with several bullet holes in his back. Tevin, who had been walking beside him said, "The body doesn't smell too bad. Probably been here since last night. It also explains the gunshots we heard last night." Tevin called 911 on a payphone so that someone would come to take the body to the city morgue. Then Tevin hurried Wolfgang to school.

Wolfgang asked, "Shouldn't we stay in case the cops have questions?"

Tevin replied, "No, dude! If we get mixed up in gang warfare we'll be the ones with dozens of bullets in our backs. I didn't invent the rules but I know how to play the game. You understand?" Wolfgang nodded and they continued their walk to school.

The worst part for Wolfgang was when he tried to write a letter to Viv but the White House sent it back...with a copy of her obituary. When Wolfgang read it he couldn't stop crying. Nick heard him crying and came into the boys' room. He asked, "Wolfgang, what's wrong?"

Wolfgang replied, "Viv is dead."

Nick exclaimed, "Oh, no! What happened?"

Wolfgang said, "She had a heart aneurysm." Wolfgang kept on crying while Nick held him in his lap. Wolfgang cried into Nick's shirt and got it wet but Nick didn't mind.

Nick rubbed Wolfgang's back and patted his head and told him, "I can tell you must have loved Viv very much. She did a great job raising you. When my parents died I couldn't stop crying either. What's worse is that no one comforted me or told me everything was going to be alright. I was sent to several foster families who beat me for the pleasure of it. Until I met Ricky and moved here I never experienced love again. As long as you're living here I promise I'll be here for you. Okay?"

Wolfgang nodded and Nick rocked him on his knee. Wolfgang hugged Nick tightly and Nick didn't let him go.

Then the next day Wolfgang saw Tevin writing. Tevin explained, "It's my journal. When you look back at your life there are certain events you'll be glad you archived."


End file.
